


migraines

by bookishpanda



Series: Sanders Sides Shorts [15]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Bodily fluid mentions, Gross Remus thoughts, Headaches, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, heartaches, migraines
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:34:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28250970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bookishpanda/pseuds/bookishpanda
Summary: Janus gets a terrible migraine, and lashes out at the one person who tries to help him.
Relationships: Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Series: Sanders Sides Shorts [15]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2067366
Kudos: 22





	migraines

It could never be 100% clear to Janus as to what was worse: an ache of the heart or an ache of the head. 

He often found himself suffering from headaches; being stuck with no other company but Remus for many years did that to a side. But even since all sides had been brought together into one part of Thomas’ mind, Janus found himself getting headaches at even the most minor of events. Whenever the word “FALSEHOOD” rang out through the hallways, signaling one of the twins’ successes at annoying the logical side, his glove-clad fingers would automatically fly up to rub at his temple. 

When he did suffer from headaches, all light needed to be shut out or it would just get worse. Janus would shut himself in his room with the blackout curtains drawn and a sleep mask or a cold, wet washcloth over his eyes until he either fell asleep or felt his energy return to him. Most of the others were understanding of his need to be left alone during those moments of headaches.

 _Most_ of them.

Morality, on the other hand, didn’t seem to know when to leave the deceitful side alone. He’d knock on the door excitedly, bring in tea and say encouraging things in that sing-songy voice of his. Most of the time, Janus ignored Patton until he went away. 

But this latest headache was not within the same league as the others; this one was a migraine, and Janus felt the deep need to tear his brain out of his head, or that perhaps it would explode and leak out of his nose and ears. If he ever had any indication that it would _actually_ happen, he’d be sure to let Remus know, since the mustached side seemed to take an interest in any weird… body phenomena.

Janus had secluded himself like he would in any other situation, but he made sure to lock the door to his room to prevent any… unwelcome visitors. He hadn’t yet realized his grave mistake: the sides didn’t need doors to get anywhere; it was just a formality. 

So when Patton popped up in his room, a cheerful smile on his face, a plate of freshly baked cookies in his hand, Janus _growled_. He sat up on his bed from where he was curled up in the fetal position and threw a pillow so hard at the moral side that the plate (and the cookies) clattered to the floor. Patton looked startled as he glanced down at his feet.

“ _Get. Out._ ” Janus’ voice was a hiss, and he was certain that his left eye was glowing with a ferocity he usually only reserved for Remus. “You’re such an _annoying, meddlesome, useless_ man. Get. Out.” He ignored the hurt look that crossed Patton’s features.

“But–”

“ _NOW!!!”_ Janus’ voice boomed throughout the room, making his brain ring in his ears, the pain making him feel like he was splitting in two; he was certain that the others heard his scream, and he barely registered Patton picking up the crumbled cookies and sinking out of the room. Once he was alone again, he covered his eyes with a cold washcloth and eventually dozed off into a dreamless sleep.

Until he was awoken by a slap to the face. His eyes shot open as he reached for his cane, a low growl coming from the bottom of his throat, until he realized that Virgil was standing above him, the anger obvious on his face. Janus’ migraine had dulled to a minimal headache, but getting slapped awake did not help the situation.

“What the hell??” He asked incredulously, noting that Roman and Logan were also in the room, their faces hard and arms crossed. 

“You need to go and apologize to Patton before I slap you so hard that you lose all of your snake traits,” Virgil’s voice was low and deep, and it startled Janus to hear it directed towards him. Janus decided to try to explain himself before he was forced out of his bed to apologize.

“He bothered me while I had a migraine–”

“Tough shit. Patton tries to help you during your headaches because he used to get them, too,” Roman spoke up, and Logan nodded beside him. “He may have accidentally been a little loud, but he had only good intentions, and yet you decided to call him annoying and meddlesome and useless.”

“I was lying, I just wanted him to leave–”

“Lying or not, Patton is now refusing to leave the comfort of his own room because he feels like he is no longer important,” Logan adjusted his glasses. Janus half wondered why the logical side was so concerned about the situation, but his wonderment did not last long as Logan kept speaking. “Without him, we will not be able to maintain our current productivity levels. You need to speak to him immediately.”

Janus sighed, rolled his eyes, then nodded once, glancing at all of the sides. Logan sunk out first, followed by Roman. Virgil gave Janus one last angry look before sinking out, and, with a mumble, Janus, too, sank out of his own bedroom, popping up into the room of the moral side. He hated going into the room, it always made him feel melancholic and sentimental, reminding him of the times he had spent on the far side of Thomas’ mind.

Patton was sitting upright on the bed, his hoodie discarded on the floor and his face buried in his hands. Muffled noises were coming from him, and Janus realized they were sobs. 

“Patton–” Janus started, causing Patton to jerk his head upwards so their eyes met. He had definitely been crying, and he wasn’t wearing his glasses. “I wanted to come in here and, uh, apologize. I definitely _should have_ said those things,” he hoped that his sarcasm wasn’t too much for this moment. “You’re not… any of them.”

“I just wanted to help you, kiddo,” Patton said, sniffling softly. Janus felt the need to go over to the moral side, scoop him into his arms, and cuddle him close, but he was always so hesitant to interact with everyone else, let alone Morality. “Why do you constantly push me away?”

Janus didn’t say anything. It definitely _wasn’t_ because of the fact that Janus had this weird ache in his heart whenever he saw Patton smile or laugh. It also _had absolutely nothing_ to do with the way Janus’ skin burned whenever he was touched by someone else. He craved cuddles and soft touches so much, but he knew his skin was cold and that it could be off-putting, so he never said anything about it. 

He didn’t have an answer for Patton. Silence once again filled the room as Patton tried to regulate his breaths, and Janus shifted uncomfortably on his feet. “You don’t need to stay, Janus. I’ll… be fine. Thank you for your apology.”

“Patton, I–” he started, his body trying to pull itself towards the other, but he resisted, hesitating. “I push you away because… I don’t want to get hurt.”

“I would never hurt you,” Patton said plainly, as if he were stating the color of his own polo shirt. “I know that you’re… self-preservation, and all, but… you can ask us all for help, too.” Janus looked down at his feet but nodded.

“I don’t know how,” he admitted quietly. He didn’t quite register the other standing up and walking towards him, but when he was brought into the soft, warm embrace of the moral side, his whole body lit up with serotonin and contentment. Patton seemed to realize Janus’ need for soft touches, so he led them both to sit on the bed, and pulled a blanket over them. Janus curled into Patton’s side, breathing easier than he ever thought he could, and inhaled sharply when Patton wrapped his arms around him tightly. “Thank you, Patton. You’re… very useful.” The moral side snorted then began laughing at this, and eventually, the two dozed off, the only thing they could each focus on was the other’s arms, their soft whispers and apologies, and the soft kisses that Patton kept pressing into Janus’ hair until their lips met in apology and adoration.


End file.
